Colman Domingo Slams Elon Musk’s AI Movie Plans, Says ‘The Odyssey’ Could Be “Whiter Than Christmas at Cracker Barrel”

Colman Domingo took aim at Elon Musk’s plans for an AI-generated version of The Odyssey, turning the billionaire’s latest movie idea into the subject of a joke during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The Oscar-nominated actor, who was guest hosting the show on Wednesday night, used part of his opening monologue to respond to Musk’s promise that his AI company’s tool, Grok, would create a full-length version of Homer’s epic poem before the end of the year.

According to Domingo, the idea of making a “historically accurate” AI version of The Odyssey comes with some obvious problems. “By historically accurate, he means whiter than Christmas at Cracker Barrel,” Domingo joked while discussing Musk’s comments and the ongoing debate surrounding Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of the classic story.

Domingo also connected Musk’s criticism of Nolan’s film to the controversy surrounding the movie’s diverse cast. “Of course, this is all because Elon and his Musketeers are upset over the diversity casting of ‘The Odyssey,’” he said during his monologue.

Musk recently announced that Grok would be used to create an AI-made movie based on Homer’s famous poem, saying the project would be “historically accurate and true to the art of Homer.” He also shared a short AI-generated clip inspired by the story, which was created by a user through Grok.

Domingo questioned the idea behind Musk’s statement, pointing out that The Odyssey itself comes from ancient mythology rather than a documented historical event. “And I don’t want to get technical here,” Domingo said, “but you can’t make a historically accurate version of something that is totally made the fuck up.”

The comments come after Musk has repeatedly criticized Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey. The tech entrepreneur previously argued that the film’s casting choices were not accurate to the original story, particularly after Lupita Nyong’o was cast as Helen of Troy.

In March, Musk posted that “Chris Nolan is an anti-White racist” and claimed the director had “lost his integrity” because of the casting decisions. He also described the casting as an “insult” to Homer’s work.

Domingo is not the only person in Hollywood to push back against Musk’s comments. Earlier this week, filmmaker Scott Derrickson, known for directing Doctor Strange, responded to Musk on social media, criticizing his understanding of filmmaking and writing, “Clearly @elonmusk doesn’t know shit about cinema & he stopped reading in his 20s.”

The debate around Nolan’s The Odyssey has continued to grow even before the movie’s release, with discussions around its cast becoming a major part of the film’s publicity. While Musk has focused on his concerns about historical accuracy and representation, supporters of the film have argued that mythology has always been reinterpreted across different cultures and generations.

For now, Musk’s AI version of The Odyssey remains a proposed project, while Nolan’s adaptation continues moving forward as one of the most anticipated films on the calendar. Domingo’s comments add another layer to the ongoing conversation about AI, filmmaking, and how classic stories should be brought to modern audiences.

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